Led by the Spirit by Jim Eliff

Do we really need another book about knowing or finding the will of God? Jim Eliff thinks so and I think he is right. In a deeply personal look at his own spiritual journey Eliff seeks to help us know what is the normative way that God works in leading His children.

Led by the Spirit seeks to explain that tension in the believers life between the rational knowledge of God's Word and the mystical movement of the Holy Spirit. Eliff admits there was a time in his own life when he consitently sought for special illuminations from God. At times that involved searching the Scriptures for a "word" often disregarding the context and content of that Scripture. Eliff does not deny the supernatural leading of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, he points out that God is not bound in any way when it comes to revealing Himself to man.

Christians who have not had out of the ordinary leadings from God should not feel second-rate. In fact, we need to be very cautious of those who seem to constantly be claiming to have extra-Scriptural leadings from God. Eliff quotes from Muller and Whitefiled to illustrate how they settled on following Scripture in context in their own lives.

This is a small book that can be read in just a few minutes but may take a lifetime to master. In our day of televangelists claiming to have all kinds of special annointings this is a most needed book. This is one book that you just need to read and then practice.

Led by the Spirit by Jim Eliff (Joshua Press),1999, paper 47pages.

Jim Eliff is President of Christian Communicators Worldwide and Resident Consultant for the Midwestern Center for Biblical Revival at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.